Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-18
CLEVELAND UPHELD.
The House Refuses to Pass the SEED
Bill Over the Veto.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 1.-THE Speaker
laid before the House to-day the message
from the President returning without his
approval the bill approprIating l0,OO0ior
special distribution OF seed to the
drought.stricken counties of Texas.
Mr.. Lanham, of Texas, moved that the
bill and the accompanying message be
referred to the Committee on Agriculture.
Inasmuch, he said, as he had introduced
this bill he was unwilling to let the occa-
sion pass without saying word in vindi-
cation of the action OF Congress in passing
this measure. In dong so 1t followed
precedents established In 1875 and IN 1883,
when bills of similar character were
passed by Congress and became laws. Ii
the organization OF the Department OF
Agriculture were constitutional, ii seeds
could be distributed for the declared OBJ
Jecto promoting agriculture, II the ag-
rlcultural interest was continental in It's
character, then the needs OF agriculture
should be considered equal in rank 20 any
other requirement OF the government.
When the government was accustomed to
make general distribution of seed,i did
not seem unconstitutional to concea trate
that distribution in particular locality
where the need was greatest. The mo-
tion to refer was lost by vote OF 81 to IA.
House pass the bill, the Presidents objec-
tions TO the contrary notwithstanding~
and IL was decided in the negative by SO
yeas to 100 nays. The following was the
affirmative vote:
Messrs. Anderson of Kansas, Baker, Brady
Boutelle. Brown of Ohio, Brown of Pepnsyl-
yanla, Buchanan. Burleigh. Campbell OF
Conger. Culberson Cutcheon. Dorsey, Evans,
Finday, Fisher, Fleeger, Fuller, Funston,
Gallinger. Gay Geddes. Gilnllan, Gof,
Grosvenor, Hale, Harmer, Henderson Of Iowa,
son. Johnston of Indiana, Keiner,
Laird, Lannam, Llbbey. Lindsey.
konttit' u,d;s LYMAN Martin, Me, Nc
Neece, Nelson, o'Donnell, o'Hara, o'Nein of
Pennsylvania, Payson, Peters, Perkins,
Plumb, Price, Reed, ROwell, Ryan. Sayres,
burne, Symes,Z. Taylor of Tennessee, Thomas
OF Wisconsin. Wade, Wadsworth. Warner of
Missouri, Weaver of Iowa. Weaver of Ne
braska, Weber, West, White of Pennsylvania,
Wolford and Woodburn-S3.
MIR. CoLMAN's VIEWS.
Commissioner Colman, of the Agricul-
tural Department, to-day, in speaking of
the suggestion contained in the Presi-
dents message vetoing the bill for the
distribution of seed to Texas sufferers,
said:
The suggestion of the President that mem
bers of Congress relinquish their quota of
seed for the benefit of distressed districts, is
an excellent one. 1t is entirely feasible, and
If adopted, Will enable me TO do great deal
of good. There are now remaining to the
credit Of the Senators and Representatives
] l,228, 900 packages Of seed. OR~Bebs-1l adj
dressed a letter to those having city
constituencies suggesting such a do
nation of the seed, but have obtained
thus far in this way only $4,000 packages. The
county judges throughout the drought
stricken regions are sending in the names of
sufferers at the rate of nearly ], 900 per day,
and whatever is done should be done quickly.
IL this suggestion of the President is adopted
| shall give my personal attention to the dis
trlbution and carefully divide the seed among
the regions affected.